Declining since 2017, #1,728 for boys today.
Popularity of Kain since 1973
Babies named Kain per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 43 |
| 1980s | 87 |
| 1990s | 560 |
| 2000s | 985 |
| 2010s | 1,417 |
| 2020s | 658 |
Meaning & origin
Kain is a modern spelling variant of the ancient name Cain, first recorded in the U.S. in 1973. It reached its peak popularity in 2016, ranking among the top 1,700 names, but has been gradually falling since 2017. Today, about 1 in 18,171 boys receives the name Kain. The name is most common in Louisiana, Virginia, and Michigan, reflecting a regional preference. While the biblical Cain carries a heavy story, modern parents often choose Kain for its strong, two-syllable sound and connection to the popular Kane. As a relatively rare name, it offers a distinctive choice without being unfamiliar.
Kain is a spelling variant of Cain, the name of the firstborn son of Adam and Eve in the book of Genesis. The Hebrew root q-n-h can mean 'to acquire' or 'to create', reflected in Eve's statement 'I have acquired a man with the Lord'. The name has been used since the Middle Ages, though the biblical association with fratricide made it less common in Christian cultures. In modern times, it has been revived as a distinctive alternative to Kane or Cain.
Where Kain is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Kain” around the world
Where Kain lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Sibling names for Kain
Names that share Kain's style, for a brother or sister.
